Overview

• The study, published July 28 in JAMA Internal Medicine, found a 12.2% reduction in viral respiratory infections across four aged care homes after two years of alternating UV-C intervention.
• Commercially available LAF Technologies UV-C appliances were mounted on ceilings, walls or integrated into HVAC systems and proven harmless to residents.
• The intervention corresponded to about 0.3 fewer weekly cases and roughly 92 fewer acute respiratory infections per 1,000 residents annually.
• The trial design used alternating six-week cycles of UV-C treatment and control periods to isolate the effect of the devices on infection rates.
• Lead authors Dr. Andrew Shoubridge and Professor Geraint Rogers advocate combining UV-C systems with existing hygiene protocols and conducting further research on optimal deployment patterns.